Pavement for roadways.



J. F. MORGAL.

PAVEMENT FOR RoADwAYs.

APPLICATION FILED ^UG.1.19I4. 1 ,33749542 Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

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Inventor Johniovg CLL HUT mn NAM) h.

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' Pravni/Intim Fon'itoADwAYs.

Specification of Letters `IVEatent. Patented A110; 21, 1917.

Application led. August 1, 1914; 'Serial No. 854,431.

To all .whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN FfMoRGAL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at to provide a pavement of this character inA which the joints between the several blocks will be substantially Hush. If one block of a pavement projectsl an appreciable distance above the adjacentvblocks it is subjected to blows from passing vehicles and ther like which are much more severe than .they would be if the block was ush with the surface of the adjacent blocks. This not only renders the roadway rough buty it is very destructive to the roadway'itself because such a block will soon become loose and this will result in adjacent blocks-becoming loose land a hole is quickly formed in the pavement. It is, therefore, a further object ofthe invention to provide means for connecting together the adjacent edges of the several blocksforming the pavement in such v a manner as to effectually hold them-y against movement in all directions and thus notonlyprovide a smooth joint between the newly vr,laid blocks but maintain that joint' smooth throughout the life ofthe pavement.

Itis also an object of the invention to provide. reinforced or metallic fastening devices of ysuch `a character and so arranged that they will have great strength and will-serve, if-y necessary, f to support an rintermediate block from the adjacent blocks and maintain the surface of the same flush withthe surface-of the adjacent blocks even vthough the supporting surface vbeneath the pavement yhas lsettled' away from such block. A'

further object ofthe invention is to provide a blocky of this character which will be of a practical, mechanical construction and which willhave the fastening devices so' arranged that any two-lateral `edges of any two blocks may be brought together and fastened. f

In the` accompanying drawings, Figure l' is a plan view of a sectionof a pavement embodying my invention; Fig 2 is a transverse, sectional view, taken onthe line m of Fig. ly'Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through two blocks showing a modified form of fastening device; Fig. 4lis a detail view of such modified fastening device showing` the two parts separated; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view showing a modified form of connecting device.

In carrying out my invention I provide the lateral fed'ges ofthe several blocks with sockets, reinforced with metal, and with metallic projections firmly fastened to or embedded in the block, the projections and sockets being so arranged on the edges of the blocks that when any two edges of two blocks are brought together the socket and projection .will be brought into'interlocking relation, in which rela-tion they are locked.

The interlocking fastening devices may bel of various kinds and those herein shown have been chosen for the purpose of illustration only. As shown in Fig. 1 the pavement comprises a series of blocks l which are, inthe present instance, shown as square, but it will be understood that the'shape and size of the blocks may vary. Each block has in each lateral edge thereof a recess 2 and this recess is reinforced with metal. In the form shown in Figs. l and -2 this reinforcement is secured by arranging a band of metal p3 along the edge lof the block and providing the same with an opening 4 adapted to register with the recess 2 and thereby provide a reinforced socket. This met-al band 3 is here shown as extending entirely about the edges of they block and it may be secured thereto orembedded in the edge in any suitable manner. block is also provided with a projection or lug 5, preferably of metal, which is embedded in the material of. the block, which is usuallyformed of plastic material, and projects'through an opening 6 in the strip 3, its outerend lying beyond the face of the block a distance substantially equal to the deptli ofthe'reinforced socket 2. Preferably, the lug is'provided with-.a part` eX- tending back into the block to more firmly secure the'same thereto. As'here shown a piece of wire is extended throughthe inner end of the lug and twisted together and forms a tie rod 7 to securethe lug in position. The outer' end of the lug is provided with an opening 8 in that part thereof which extends into the socket and the walls of the socket above andbelow the'recess are pro- Each edge of thethe opening in the lug and -serve to hold vided with apertures 9 to receive pins 10 which extend through the socket and through these parts in their interlocking relation. Preferably, the openings are so arranged that the pin will fit snugly against the inner face of the reinforcing strip 3, thereby'providing a connection of great,strength, and practically the only way in which such a connection can be broken is by the shearing ofthe pin. I have shown each edge of the block as providedfwith both a 'socket and a projection as this enables any of the edges of any two blocks to be brought together and connected one to the other and does away with the necessity of placing each block in a particular position, but it will be understood that the arrangement, while a preferred one, is not a necessary one and can` be varied at will. It will-be noted thatwhen the pavement hasbeen laid with blocks of this kind and the pins inserted to fasten the several blocks together each intermediate block is supported at eight different points and that the connection at each ypoint is formed by a metal pin which mustbe sheared off before the connection can be broken. As a result the connection is an exceedingly strong one and one or kmore intermediate blocks may be suspended from the edges of the adjacent blocks, after the road bed has settled away from the under side of the blocks, and still be maintained inperfect alinement and safely support the traffic. f In,y liligsn 3 and 4L I have shown a modified means of' reinforcing the socket. As here shown the projecting lug 5 is substantially thesame as that above described, but as shown in Fig. SI vhave omitted the reinforcing strip at the edges of the blocks and have mounted within the edge of the block, in alinement with the lug 5, a U-shaped fastening device 11 with its outer ends substantially flush with the edge of the block and the space between the two parts thereof forming Ia socket adapted to receive the lug This fastening device is preferably sel cured in theblock by means of a tie rod 12 similar to the-tie rod 7 for the lug 5. TheV U-shaped fastening device is provided with openings 13 registering with similar openings 14 in the upper and lower parts of the block and adapted to receive a pin 15 by means of which the two parts of the fastening `device are connected together.y Here again 'the connection is `such that to break it the' pin mustfbe sheared or the ends-of the metal fastening devices torn out, and, consequently, they connection is one vof great strength. f s

In Fig. 5 I have shown still another form of yconnecting device. As here shown the metal -bands'which surround the blocks are provided with parallel slots and the portions between' these slots bent inward, as l,shown the vband thereto.- In the present drawings n Ihave shown the band as provided with` several of these rearwardly projecting tongues, asindicated at 19, to firmly secure the band to the block.

It will. be apparent that with the several fastening devices arranged in the: same position relatively to the upper andv lower surfaces of the blocks lthe placing of the blocks in their radjacent position will bring the fastening devices into vinterlocking relation and thereby position the upper ysurfaces of the several blocks in the same plane, form-l ing smooth, even joints, and it will be further apparent-that these fastening devices will maintain the joints permanently in this smooth even condition. There will, i of course, be a slight play between the fastening devices but this will not permitA any material movement of the blocks relatively one to theother, but, on the other hand, is desirable because it will permit of the eXpansion and contraction of the block with the variation of the temperature.

the pavement flexibility and enables the same to conform to the surface ofthe bed on which it is laid. With blocksof this kind.

This slight play between the fastening devices also gives.

jected to severepoundingby passingvei hicles which loosens the pavement and materially 'decreases lthe life thereof. Viiththev very slight projection found inpavements built with Athese present blockspthe pounding will, practically, vbe eliminated because where a block does not project above the level .of the pavement Vthere is no pounding when the wheel strikes it and, consequently, the wear is very muchv less on a smooth pavement than on arough pavement.

While I have shown and describedone embodiment of my invention with slight modifications thereof it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and that I do not desire'to be limited to the details ofv construction' shown and described, for obvious modifications Will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as nevi and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is zl. A'pavement .comprising a plurality of blocks arranged edge to edge in a substantially horizontal plane, one of said blocks being completely surrounded byI other blocks, the abutting edges of each pair of blocks having interlocking parts firmly secured to both blocks and serving to hold said blocksv against relative lateral displacement and to cause the surrounding blocks to support said surrounded block With its upper surface substantially flush With the upper surfaces of the surrounding blocks, irrespective of the contour of the supporting bed on Which said pavement is laid.

2. A pavement comprising a plurality of blocks arranged edge to edge, the abutting edges of said blocks having, respectively, a recess and a lug arranged to extend into said recess, metallic bands extending about the edges of said blocks and having respectively an opening to register with the recess in one block and an opening to receive the' along said edge of said block and having an.

opening arranged to register With said recess to form a reinforced socket, a lug embedded in said block, projecting beyond one edge thereof and arranged in substantially the plane of said socket, said reinforcing strip extending along the last-mentioned edge of said block and having an opening through which said lug projects.

5. The combination, With a paving block having a recess in one edge thereof, a metallic reinforcement for said recess, and an opening formed in said block and communieating with said recess, of a second block having a metallic lug embedded therein, adapted to enter the recess in the first-men tioned block andhaving an opening to register with the opening in said first-mentioned block, and a pin to extend through the openings in said block and said lug.

6. The combination, with a block having a recess in the edge thereof, a reinforcing strip arranged along the edge of said block and having an opening to register With said recess, said block having a vertical opening formed therein adjacent to said strip and extending through said recess, of a second block having a lug embedded therein, projecting beyond the edge thereof and adapted to enter therecess in the first-mentioned block, said lug having an opening arranged to register with the opening in said first-mentioned block, and a pin adapted to extend through said opening and engage said reinforcing strip to connect said blocks together.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature in presence of tvvo Witnesses.

JOHN F. MORGAL.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. SGHARRER, EDWARD L. REED.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

